Date of Award

Document Type

Degree Name

Department

First Advisor

Samir S. Sofer

Second Advisor

Gordon Lewandowski

Third Advisor

Piero M. Armenante

Fourth Advisor

Richard B. Trattner

Fifth Advisor

Hsin Neng Hsieh

Abstract

A comparative study has been performed between two bioreactors treating phenol, one using calcium alginate entrapped microorganisms, and the other using microorganisms attached on the surface of a polymeric membrane. Laboratory experiments conducted in batch recirculation mode, as well as a continuous feed mode, showed that the calcium alginate bio-bead reactor is more efficient in treating high feed concentrations of phenol, while the membrane bioreactor is more effective in the lower concentration regime (less than 150 ppm). In batch recirculation mode, the reaction rates (expressed as mg phenol/hr*gm dry cells) in the membrane reactor are an order of magnitude higher at feed concentrations of phenol below 100 ppm. Biodegradation rates for the two reactors match at around 250 ppm phenol concentration, and at about 1000 ppm phenol concentration the reaction rates in the calcium alginate bioreactor are 7.5 times the corresponding rates in the membrane reactor.